The National Drought Group has reiterated the importance of sectors continuing to plan and invest for all weather events, despite third wettest autumn this century.

Drought experts have highlighted the need to continue investing and preparing for droughts to ensure England is in the best possible position to deal with extreme weather events and a changing climate.

The National Drought Group, chaired by Environment Agency Executive Director John Leyland, came together on 11 December to discuss the proactive steps being taken to ensure water resilience ahead of future droughts. The Group explored how all sectors can better collaborate to join up how we communicate drought, plan for future droughts, and explore quicker delivery on larger and more strategic resource options.

Although there are no areas in England currently in drought, preparation for dry weather remains crucial. Parts of Devon and Cornwall entered ‘recovering’ status on 2 October and all catchments in East Anglia moved to ‘normal’ status from 20 November.